


Won't Go Home Without You

by SergeantPixie



Series: The Ladies of Panem [1]
Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-28
Updated: 2013-09-28
Packaged: 2017-12-27 21:03:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/983586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SergeantPixie/pseuds/SergeantPixie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katniss finds an unlikely ally in the final battle against Cato after Peeta succumbs to his injuries.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Won't Go Home Without You

**Author's Note:**

> this was written for a friend of mine for his birthday. Moved from ff.net

Katniss creeps through the forest, silently. Somewhere, Cato is waiting for her, and Katniss is ready for him. The pent up rage and anguish at seeing Peeta's lifeless body has built up to the point of recklessness. Any second now, the girl on fire is going to explode into a ball of grief and rage and fire.

Only Cato, Katniss, and Foxface are left. Katniss doesn't care what happens to Foxface, but she wants to rip Cato into pieces. She wants him to bleed and beg and hurt. She doesn't have feelings left beyond anger and grief and bloodlust. And Cato will answer for his sins.

She creeps along, crouched low; bow and arrow notched and ready to aim. She dodges branches and leaves deftly, moving quickly and silently through the forest. She comes to the edge of the forest and stops when she sees a flash of red. Foxface emerges from the edge of the forest; keeping low, she darts towards the Cornucopia. A glint of silver in the moonlight draws Katniss' eyes to her hands. She clutches a knife in her fist clumsily.

Katniss allows her to hide in the Cornucopia, she has no interest in killing her, she only wants Cato. Deftly she climbs the tree she had been leaning against. She's waiting for Cato. Perched comfortably on a sturdy branch, Katniss angles her body towards the opposite end of the clearing. She distinctly remembers Clove coming from that direction when Thresh killed her. She puts on the night vision glasses and waits.

He does not come until dawn. He bursts from the forest, running as if demons are nipping at his heels. In fact, mutations were nipping at his heels. Without thinking, Katniss drops from her perch in the tree, rolling into a crouch and shoots a single arrow at Cato's leg. She wants him to suffer. It deflects and Katniss swears under her breath. He's wearing some kind of body armor. She stands hastily and runs towards the Cornucopia.

She can hear the barking of the dogs and Cato's wheezing breath, but she has other things to focus on. She dashes into the Cornucopia and shakes Foxface awake.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up," she screeches. Startled, Foxface rears up, her knife weakly aimed at Katniss' face, Katniss deftly deflects the weak blow and hauls the girl to her feet. "Mutts, there are Mutts coming, we have to get on top of this," Katniss babbles. Foxface's amber eyes widen dramatically and she nods. She scrambles out of the Cornucopia, and Katniss follows her.

Desperately Foxface tries to scrabble up the side, but she can't get a proper grip. Katniss boosts her up and she finally manages to get all the way on top. She turns around without hesitation and holds out her hand to Katniss. Somehow, they became allies. Katniss takes her hand and the smaller girl heaves her up with some difficulty. Katniss fumbles up beside her and they collapse in a tangle of limbs on the cold metal, gasping for air.

A loud bang alerts them to Cato's arrival. They leap to their feet. Katniss aims her bow in the general direction of the noise, and Foxface clutches her knife unsteadily. Cato pulls himself up onto the Cornucopia. He heaves for air for several long moments. Abruptly, he freezes. He turns his head to face them, slowly. Katniss' face is cold as ice, her arrow pointed at his exposed throat. Foxface is crouched to leap on him, her knife clutched in her fingers. They are poised to kill. He is an unwelcome intruder.

Slowly he gets to his feet, his hands raised in the universal symbol of surrender. Neither girl moves from their defensive stances. They know better than to lower their weapons in the presence of a Career. He lowers his hands with a shrug after they refuse to back down.

"Well, well, well, District 12 and District 5? When did you team up?" he drawls condescendingly. His lack of weapons and wheezing breath ruin the effect. Katniss and Foxface do not respond. There isn't a response. They hadn't teamed up; they simply fell into the rolls. Cato stands perfectly still, clearly waiting for a response. When no one says anything, he lunges for Katniss.

She releases her arrow, but it barely grazes his neck before his weight collapses on top of her. She brings her open palm down on to his ear, hard. He lets out a pained moan and begins to move his hand to clutch his head, but changes his mind, and brings it down to clutch Katniss' throat instead. He straddles her body and she fights against him, tearing at his hand with her nails but he doesn't react to her.

He laughs at her desperate attempt to breathe, but suddenly a small body slams into his, and he topples off of her, scrabbling around with Foxface. Now that the element of surprise is no longer on her side, she has lost all of her advantages. He tosses her off him like a rag doll, and charges for Katniss again. Katniss grips his hair in her hand, and yanks as hard as she can.

Foxface jumps up and dives for her knife, which she dropped in the tussle with Cato. She clutches it in her hand uncertainly as Katniss sinks her teeth into Cato's hand. Cato rips his hand out of her mouth, spraying blood across the cornucopia. He stands up and pulls Katniss with him, his hands on her jaw. Foxface recognizes the motion, and jumps on his back.

"NO," she screeches as she takes her knife and drives it viciously into his neck before he can break Katniss'. He releases Katniss who drops onto the unforgiving metal, limply. Cato stumbles and gurgles, blood spilling from his mouth. Foxface lets go of him, but not of her knife, and the ripping sound of his skin as the blade is jerked from his neck is a sound she will never forget.

She scrambles over to the edge of the cornucopia and pukes. She closes her eyes and whimpers as she hears the sound of Cato's body hit the cold metal of the Cornucopia. The sun has begun to rise. Katniss stands unsteadily and with effort, rolls Cato's body off the side of the Cornucopia. The mutts descend upon it viciously and a cannon sounds in the distance. Foxface continues to tremble. She's never killed anyone before.

Katniss hesitantly makes her way towards the trembling girl, skirting around the pool of Cato's blood. She drops to her knees next to Foxface, and slowly drags the other girl into her arms. She knows that they're supposed to be trying to kill each other at the moment. But Katniss cannot forget that the girl just saved her life. Foxface buries her face into Katniss' neck and sobs unrestrained for several long moments. Katniss makes soft shushing noises, rubbing circles into her back.

"It's okay, shh, you did the right thing, shhh, you saved me, thank you, shh, it's okay, I swear, it's going to be okay," Katniss murmurs. Below, she can hear the Mutts retreating, the message is loud and clear; the Capitol wants a hand-to-hand battle. No mutts, no easy deaths. They want it to be long and dirty. Katniss cannot bring herself to kill this girl. Foxface cannot bear killing Katniss. They sit there on top of the Cornucopia, holding each other.

Finally, Foxface's sobs subside, and she is no longer shaking. She sits up and draws herself out of Katniss' embrace. With the backs of her hands, she wipes the tears from her face. Katniss tucks a lose clump of hair behind her ear. Silently they study each other.

Katniss stands and walks over to her bow. She picks it up hesitantly and draws an arrow from her back. Foxface grabs her knife. They turn to face each other. Katniss notches the arrow. Foxface grips her knife. They study one another wearily. They don't want to kill each other, but they want to live.

Katniss half raises her bow, the arrow already notched and ready to be fired. Foxface adjusts her grip on the knife. Cato's blood has dried on her hands and on the handle of the knife. For several tense moments they study each other. Then Katniss drops her bow and arrow. Foxface blinks in disbelief, astonishment growing on her foxlike features.

"Kill me," Katniss states simply, her hands raises in defeat. "You saved my life, now save your own," she instructs bravely. Foxface stares at her with an open mouth. She shakes her head after a moment.

"You saved me when you woke me up, the mutts would've killed me, I can't kill you," she responds firmly, dropping her knife. Katniss shakes her head.

"You already repaid me, you killed Cato before he could kill me, you don't owe me anything, kill me and go home," Katniss argues impatiently.

"If I let him kill you, I would never have stood a chance against him in a one-on-one fight. I needed you, I can't kill you," Foxface responds heatedly. "I can't kill you," she repeats firmly. Katniss can feel the rage well up inside of her.

"Yes you can, you killed him. Pick up your knife and kill me," the brunette orders brusquely.

"No," the redhead enunciates clearly, crossing her arms in front of her.

"I don't even know your name," Katniss appeals incredulously, hoping that it would spark some rage in the smaller girl.

"It's Finch, Marissa Finch, but I prefer being called Finch," Finch responds coolly. She's not going to fall for Katniss' ploy. "You have your sister to return to, so pick up your bow and arrow, and shoot me," she continues ruthlessly.

"No," Katniss states flatly.

For a second they are at a standstill. They stare at each other, daring the other to reach for her weapon and finish the game. Neither of them do.

"I'm not leaving without you," Katniss says finally. Finch crosses her arm.

"And I'm not leaving without you," she responds stoutly. Katniss nods once and then proceeds to walk towards the redheaded girl. She walks right past her and climbs off the side. Hesitantly Finch starts to follow.

"Follow me," Katniss calls up to her. Finch complies. Katniss helps her down and Finch follows her to a bush at the edge of the clearing. It's laden with nightlock berries. Finch does not speak, but understands the meaning. Together, or not at all; that is how they will leave.

Katniss picks a small handful and spills half of them into Finch's open hand. They walk to the middle of the clearing, and stand facing each other. They hold their hands out, showing the deadly berries to the cameras clearly.

"One," Katniss says loudly.

"Two," Finch speaks grimly.

"Three," Katniss finishes. They raise their hands to their mouths and empty the berries into their mouths.

"STOP!" A voice commands from above. They both spit out the berries quickly.

"For the first time ever, we are pleased to announce that there will be two winners of the annual Hunger Games," the voice continues nervously.

Katniss and Finch rush to the lake and begin to clean out their mouths with the water.

"Congratulations, Katniss Everdeen of District 12, and Marissa Finch of District 5." Katniss and Finch clutch one another fiercely, and Katniss places a kiss on top of Finch's head. They won't go home without each other.


End file.
